DOJ Files Emergency Brief Asking Court to Unblock COVID Vaccine Work Rules

The Department of Justice (DOJ), has requested that a federal court lift its suspension on rules from the Biden administration, which require businesses with more then 100 employees to adhere to certain standards during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals blocked rules published by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration(OSHA) earlier in the month that would have required large companies to have their employees jabbed or tested for coronavirus every week starting January 4. Also, workers who are not vaccinated would be required to wear masks at work starting in December.

The court found that OSHA had exceeded its authority. saying that the agency only has jurisdiction on workplace safety. Because the coronavirus has spread throughout the country, OSHA couldn’t enforce rules relating to it in workplaces, the court had said.

In its emergency filing, the DOJ said that the court’s ruling was faulty.

“Congress charged OSHA with addressing grave dangers in the workplace, without any carve-out for viruses or dangers that also happen to exist outside the workplace,” the department said in its legal brief to the court.

The United States Supreme Court will likely hear the case. The Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will also hear the matter. Circuit Court of Appeals which will hear close to 30 lawsuits against the OSHA rules.

If the Supreme Court takes up the matter, it’s unclear how it may rule on the matter. October The High Court in Maine allowed a state-based mandate for vaccines to be upheld. It may, however, rule differently when it comes down to whether the federal government is granted such powers.

The DOJ has filed an emergency file on the same date as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). announced new figures on the effectiveness of the vaccines. Rochelle Walensky, CDC director, said that although none of the coronavirus vaccines is 100% effective, they provide a lot of protection compared to not getting vaccinated.

According to data, people who are not vaccinated for coronavirus are 5.8 times more likely than those who are. The CDC numbers show that unvaccinated people are nine times more likely than vaccinated to need hospitalization and 14 times more likely die from the virus.